---
title: Spaces
description: What a Space is, the slug rules the API enforces, who owns it, and what a rename or a delete does to the URLs you already handed out
sidebar:
  order: 1
---

A Space is one site with a stable hostname. Publishing creates versions inside it, and the Space decides which one visitors see.

## What a Space is

A Space is one site. It owns a slug, a hostname, an owner, and one pointer that says which version visitors get. A publish can create a new immutable version or report no changes, and the Space decides which version is live.

Ids are `spc_` plus 32 hex characters:

```text
spc_9f2c1ab34d5e4f6789ab01cd23ef4567
```

Anywhere the CLI takes `--space`, you can pass that id, the slug, the live URL, or a custom domain pointed at it.

## Slug rules

The slug is the name in the dashboard URL and the label in every hostname the Space answers on.

| Rule | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Characters | `a-z`, `0-9`, and `-` |
| Length | 3 to 55 characters |
| Leading or trailing `-` | Rejected |
| `--` anywhere | Rejected |
| All digits | Rejected |

Spacefast trims whitespace, strips diacritics, and lowercases your input. It reshapes nothing else, so `My Site` is rejected and `my-site` passes. A failing slug comes back as `slug_invalid` with a sentence saying which rule you hit.

`--` is out because it separates a version or branch label from the Space label in hostnames. See [URLs and hostnames](/urls).

### Reserved slugs

Four classes come back as `slug_reserved`:

- Infrastructure names, such as `www`, `mail`, `cdn`, `ns1`, and `ftp`.
- Spacefast product and platform names, such as `api`, `app`, `dashboard`, `login`, `mcp`, and `cli`.
- Well-known brand names held against impersonation, such as `google`, `github`, and `stripe`.
- Any slug containing `spacefast`, `stattic`, `automattic`, `wordpress`, or `paypal` as a substring.

The substring class survives numeric suffixing, so `paypal-2` fails for the same reason `paypal` does. Pick a different base word instead of adding a number.

Dashboard route names are reserved too, and the reservation is scoped to the position. `settings` is refused as a Space slug and accepted as a team slug. Refused as Space slugs: `agents`, `api-keys`, `billing`, `connect`, `domains`, `drop`, `handoffs`, `members`, `new`, `partners`, `resume`, `settings`, `variables`, `webhooks`. The `422` carries a `details.suggestion` you can take as-is.

A rename keeps the old slug reserved for that Space. Other Spaces asking for it get `422` `slug_unavailable`.

Check before you commit with [`getSlugAvailability`](/api/reference/spaces/getslugavailability).

## The default hostname

New Spaces use `https://<label>.space.fast/`. Existing Spaces on `view.fast` keep their domain, including after a publish or slug rename. Adding a custom domain never retires the managed hostname. Version and branch hostnames, the live URL rule, and what a rename does to each are on [URLs and hostnames](/urls).

## Who owns a Space

The owner depends on how the Space was created:

- **A team.** The normal case. Team members reach the Space by their role. Slugs are unique per team rather than globally, so two teams can both own `docs`.
- **A space key.** A Space published without an account is owned by its `sfc_` key until someone claims it. See [Publish without an account](/anonymous-and-claim).
- **An external principal.** A customer in a [Partner API integration](/platforms/partner-api/customers) can own Spaces without a self-serve team.

To move a Space to another team, run `sf spaces transfer <team> --space docs`, or open **Space settings → General → Transfer this space → Transfer space…**. If you are an owner or admin of both teams, the move is instant. The Space keeps serving at its current address. Otherwise the target team has 7 days to accept, and nothing changes until they do. Roles and membership are on [Teams](/teams).

## Access when you create one

A new team-owned Space starts at one of two presets. A Space published without an account has no owning team. Its space key and claim link open it until the claim window ends; see [Publish without an account](/anonymous-and-claim).

| Preset | Who can open the live site |
| --- | --- |
| `private` | The owning team, plus anyone you add |
| `public` | The owning team, plus anyone on the web |

The API still accepts `team` and treats it as `private`.

Set it on the request that creates the Space, with `sf publish --access public` or the `access` field on `createPublish` and [`createSpace`](/api/reference/spaces/createspace). Sending `access` together with a `spaceId` is a validation error, because the field only applies at creation. Omit it and the Space takes the owning team's default for new Spaces.

Everything after that, including people, share links, passwords, and access requests, is on [Access and sharing](/access).

## Find your Spaces

<Tabs>
<Tab title="CLI">

```bash
sf spaces ls
sf spaces ls --team acme --limit 100
sf spaces get --space docs
```

`sf spaces get` prints the live runtime state and the current version. `sf status` tells you which Space the current directory is linked to.

</Tab>
<Tab title="Dashboard">

The team page lists every Space you can reach, and **Add space** starts a new one. Open a Space to land on **Overview**, which carries the live address, the last publish, and a **Roll back to** shortcut.

</Tab>
<Tab title="API">

```bash
curl https://api.spacefast.com/v1/spaces \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sfa_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
```

[`listSpaces`](/api/reference/spaces/listspaces) is cursor paginated. [`resolveSpace`](/api/reference/spaces/resolvespace) turns an id, hostname, URL, or slug into one Space.

</Tab>
</Tabs>

## Renaming

A rename moves the slug and the managed hostname together.

```bash
sf spaces update --space docs --slug developers
```

In the dashboard, open **Space settings → General → Managed address** and edit **Slug**. Save it with the action in that section, not the General settings Save bar. Save or discard other General settings changes first.

Over HTTP, `PATCH /v1/spaces/{spaceId}` takes `slug` and refuses it alongside any other field, so send it by itself.

What changes:

- The default hostname moves to the new slug.
- The old hostname keeps a temporary `307` that preserves path and query.
- The old slug stays reserved for this Space.
- Version URLs do not move. They were computed once and stored.

One thing blocks a rename. While `name` is set in your `sf.jsonc`, the API refuses to rename the Space — the file would win back the old name on the next publish. Remove the key or rename it in the file. See [Config file](/config-file).

## Deleting and restoring

Deleting is a takedown, and it takes effect at once.

```bash
sf spaces rm --space docs
```

In the dashboard it is **Space settings → General → Delete this space → Delete space**. Over HTTP it is [`deleteSpace`](/api/reference/spaces/deletespace).

| What | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| The live URL | Stops serving immediately |
| Custom domains assigned here | Stop routing and become unassigned |
| The slug and every hostname it held | Stay retired, so nobody picks up your old address |
| Content and versions | Retained behind the takedown, not erased on the spot |
| Undo | Not available to you once a team-owned Space is deleted |

:::warning[There is no undo for a team-owned Space]
Deleting a Space you own is final from your side. Transfer it instead if someone else should keep it.
:::

The one reversible case is a Space you deleted with its space key. [`restoreSpace`](/api/reference/spaces/restorespace) accepts that same key while the key is still valid and brings the Space back. Any other credential, or any other reason the Space went dark, answers `space_not_restorable`.

## Published without an account

A Space created by an anonymous publish expires {{anonymous-ttlSeconds}} after the latest publish that changes files and uses a single `sfc_` key. Claiming it moves it into a team and keeps its hostname. That whole path is on [Publish without an account](/anonymous-and-claim).

## Next steps

Use [CLI Spaces](/cli/spaces) to find and manage Spaces from your terminal.